Saturday, 9 January 2010

RECESSION NOTWITHSTANDING THE LEVEL OF UNPAID OVERTIME DECREASED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, BUT REMAINS STILL HIGH

Despite during 2009 the number of people regularly working unpaid overtime has reduced of 168.000 people, the number of people working unpaid overtime in the UK remains pretty high at 5,07 million. Free work performed by employees has been considered worth £ 27,4 billion.
Is estimated that people, working unpaid overtime, produced additional weekly work for an average of 7 hours and 12 minute, which should have increased their personal income of £ 5.402 a year.

A survey carried out over a panel of 1.663 employees reveals that 58% of them are working more unpaid overtime hours than ever, 71% even affirming working during lunch break, and 44% stating to leave, very often, their desks in the late evening.

Recession has forced employers to reduce staff or the number of hours worked by them, which are amongst the main reasons accounting for the increase of unpaid overtime. In many cases, employee’s availability and sacrifice has been crucial to keep organisations afloat and has definitely contributed to save many jobs. Many employees report a lack of recognition for their efforts from their employers, possibly taking for granted their efforts in a period dominated by hardships. Employees, nonetheless, were expected and would have been much more motivated by their employers gratitude.

Many people are still working additional unpaid hours and not always because of recession related reasons. This is contributing to cause stress and harm employee’s health. If, in some cases, this phenomenon could be fully understandable, that is in those cases in which employers are struggling to overcome recession, pointless presenteeism should be definitely avoided, in that bad both for staff and organisation.